Job Description
Job Title:Associate Lead/Lead -NEEMAR Program, ABF
Location:Boisar, District Palghar, Greater Mumbai Metropolitan Region
About the Program:
NEEMAR, a multi-dimensional special initiative of the Ananya Birla Foundation, is being introduced in Palghar with a vision to nurture a safe and compassionate ecosystem where girls find confidence and opportunities to discover their voice and purpose.
Rooted in care and compassion, NEEMAR envisions a future where no child's dreams are limited by their circumstances. Palghar district has witnessed significant quantitative expansion of primary education over the years, in line with Maharashtra's education planning frameworks. Primary schools have been established across habitations, and enrolment levels have improved significantly. Our findings from district-level observations, field assessments and evaluations of the existing literature indicate that the efforts have translated into a great model with exponential opportunities into learning, retention, safety and dignity for tribal children, particularly girls and adolescents.
Position Summary
As the Lead of NEEMAR, you will be the visionary architect responsible for designing and stewarding an ecosystem that nurtures the voice, agency, and wellbeing of girls from an underprivileged background. You will bridge high-level systemic strategy with grounded, trauma-informed implementation, transforming a residential and community-based initiative in Palghar into a replicable gold-standard model for child development and welfare in India.
Key Responsibilities
1. Strategic Program Architecture & Model Building
- Blueprint Design:Design the NEEMAR model - an integrated, evide care framework that covers education, mental health, and agency-building for holistic development. This includes (but not limited to) designing evidence-based curriculum, care protocols, and transition pathways aligned with girl-centered best practices and regulatory requirements
- Safety & Governance:Establish and oversee beyond-compliance Operating Procedures (SOPs) that ensure a trauma-informed, rights-based, and secure environment.
- Transition Pathways:Design sustainable life-readiness and integration frameworks that support girls beyond their time within the residential program.
2. Ecosystem Partnerships & Systems Advocacy
- Government Synergy:Build deep, collaborative relationships with the District Administration, Rural Development and Panchayat Raj Department, Zilla Parishad, Tribal Development Department, Women and Child Development (WCD) department, Education department,Child Welfare Committees (CWCs), and other allied district & state officials to integrate NEEMAR's learnings into state systems.
- Strategic Alliances:Cultivate a multi-layered network of NGOs, social enterprises, and service providers to ensure a holistic support continuum.
- Policy Influence:Represent ABF at regional and national forums, using field-level evidence to advocate for policy strengthening and adaptations in child-centered care.
3. Evidence, Learning, and Knowledge Management
- Impact Frameworks:Develop representative and wholesome metrics to track agency and resilience alongside traditional developmental indicators.
- Knowledge Production:Document best practices, failures, and methodology to contribute to the national & global discourse on child rights and welfare.
- Tech Integration:Lead the adoption of secure digital tools for case management and data-driven decision-making.
4. People, Culture, and Field Leadership
- Trauma-Informed Culture:Recruit and coach a diverse, interdisciplinary team, fostering a work environment rooted in accountability, compassion, high-performance, and psychological safet.
- Capability Building:Oversee continuous professional development for field staff to ensure the highest standards of care and field-level excellence.
- Values Stewardship:Ensure that ABF's core values of dignity and justice are reflected in every interaction on the ground at the Palghar center.
- Financial and Operations Management:Provide an oversight on project financials, operational performance and project management.
- Resource Planning and Management:Play an active role in the recruitment, training, development and performance management of program resources including field workers, site staff and other resources.
Qualifications and Experience
- Education:Master's degree in Social Work, Development Management, Child Psychology, or Public Policy.
- Sector Expertise:7 -15 years of experience in residential children homes/hostels, child welfare, protection, or social justice, with at least 5 years in a senior leadership role.
- Domain Mastery:Deep understanding of the Juvenile Justice (JJ) Act, POCSO, child protection, and trauma-informed care protocols in the Indian context.
- Proven Track Record:Experience in moving an initiative from concept to full-scale, high-quality operations.
Core Competencies and Values Alignment
- Systems Thinking:The ability to connect field-level realities to broader policy and systemic shifts
- Adaptive Resilience:Navigating complex and dynamic field challenges with patience, emotional intelligence, and strategic pivots
- Relational Leadership:A coaching, distributed leadership style that centers the voices of the girls and the frontline staff
- Inclusive Communication:Fluency in English, Hindi, and Marathi (or openness to learn) is essential for effective engagement across all stakeholders, from government officials to community members
Nature of Role:This is a high-engagement, site-based leadership role requiring a consistent presence at the NEEMAR center and frequent travel for advocacy.
Salary & Benefits:Competitive package commensurate with experience health insurance, professional development support, flexible work arrangements to support wellbeing
Growth Opportunity:Significant scope for professional development, thought leadership, and contribution to the broader field of child development & welfare and systems change in India
Selection Process
Resume Screening Initial Interview Role-Specific Assignment Final Interview with Leadership Team Site Engagement (Centre Visit + ABF Team Engagement) Reference Checks Offer & Onboarding
Our Commitment to Inclusion
We recognize that no candidate will perfectly match every qualification. We are particularly interested in leaders who demonstrate deep commitment to girls agency and dignity, evidence of learning orientation and adaptability, lived understanding of marginalization, and authentic, long-term relationship-building - even if your background looks different from what we've described.
If you identify with NEEMAR's mission and believe you can grow into and strengthen this role, we encourage you to apply. Use your cover letter to share your unique journey and what you'd bring to this work.
